After years of waiting, I'm finally going to my first burn next year. As we're coming from the UK, I was hoping to get some advice about food.

I've been camping here plenty of times before, so have ideas about how manage food without refrigeration. What I don't know is US food! What brands of packet/canned goods, drinks and so forth are good quality, taste nice etc?

We have years of conversations about food. You COULD start by showing that you have searched around a little. Radical self-reliance is very important. Don't be surprised if you are ignored if you are not showing a little self-reliance.Plus, everyone is on the playa right now. Wait a week and you'll have tons of feedback.

Might also help to fill in your profile to reflect your home location and other affiliations.

BTW, I've long believed Eurotrash -- pardon me, Eurotreasures -- and certain people from the Right Coast of the US might need their own FAQ file that spells things out very slowly. Except the Dutch, you can't tell them anything they don't know, bless their hearts.

There is a US grocery store chain called Trader Joe's. I stock up there before every camping trip. Much of what they sell is under their own brand. They have many products that are very camp ready, good quality, and affordable.

I like the Mountain House and Backpackers Pantry dehydrated foods. They are actually quite tasty and all you need is some boiling water and about 10 minutes to cook. Easy to pack and wont spoil for 5 to 10 years.

To Hoolie and TT120 - thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for

To Bob - I mentioned in the post I'm in the UK, so I don't understand why you'd need any more location info than that to be able to answer my question, and as far as your comment regarding 'Eurotrash/Eurotreasures', frankly that comes across as downright rude and offensive. You know what, that's the kind of judgemental attitude I really wasn't expecting to find here

I love trader joes. And even the mountain packs are good. but if your on a tight budget those choices can add up fast. A few things first. Will you have a way to heat and cook food, Do you have food restrictions such as no meat? Are you look for food to make In camp or food that is light and small to carry in a pack pack, Food with the least amount of moop? Do you value nutrition, taste, or survival. If you can give us more info we might be able to help with what works for us. You should still check out trader joes. The wine section used to be the lowest price around. I'm not sure anymore they were bought out and changed.

spanglecat wrote:To Hoolie and TT120 - thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for

To Bob - I mentioned in the post I'm in the UK, so I don't understand why you'd need any more location info than that to be able to answer my question, and as far as your comment regarding 'Eurotrash/Eurotreasures', frankly that comes across as downright rude and offensive. You know what, that's the kind of judgemental attitude I really wasn't expecting to find here.

Thanks for checking back. When you don't fill in your eplaya profile, which you hadn't at the time, the context which your home location adds to your individual posts is lost when the thread goes to two or more pages, or you post on a different thread. A more descriptive thread title might have helped as well.

You also gave no indication you'd glanced at the volumes of material on the main website and the eplaya, little context wrt the nature of your previous camping experience (wilderness camping versus car camping versus RV camping), and whether you intended to go the conventional route at Burning Man (car camping, pretty much), extremely lightweight for air travel & hitchhiking, or intended to have a rental truck or RV for support along with heavy cooking gear. Knowing what you considered edible on your previous trip here, or in the UK in general, might have helped. If your tastes are very specific, and you arrive in Reno with only hours to shop, you might be disappointed. If you're arriving in the San Francisco area with a couple of days to prepare, of course you'll have more options.

Don't take it personally, it's not about you. Happens every year.

Actually, I've long thought the main website could use a guide to semi-ultralight camping specifically geared toward Eurotrash, pardon, jet travelers who end up hitchhiking or renting dinky subcompact cars in Reno. Can you suggest an alternative moniker?

spanglecat wrote:and as far as your comment regarding 'Eurotrash/Eurotreasures', frankly that comes across as downright rude and offensive. You know what, that's the kind of judgemental attitude I really wasn't expecting to find here

spanglecat wrote:To Hoolie and TT120 - thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for

To Bob - I mentioned in the post I'm in the UK, so I don't understand why you'd need any more location info than that to be able to answer my question, and as far as your comment regarding 'Eurotrash/Eurotreasures', frankly that comes across as downright rude and offensive. You know what, that's the kind of judgemental attitude I really wasn't expecting to find here

Buncha Jokers, theyre just being silly. And for every "search engine" bitch post, that could of been a good suggestion instead.

Hope you found what worked! Its so hard to eat well out at Bman. I survive on odwalla smoothies, jerky and nuts......and hippie handouts from overprepared camp mates

I appreciate the European travelers because I don't travel and I really love connecting with you guys. Kinda makes me feel like I am pseudo traveling, which is better'n nuthin!

If you do a lot of reading before you ask questions, you'll encounter less friction. Burners may seem like nice people, but they also really like people who can take care of themselves. Radical Self Reliance is a Burn principle. We all want to be camped next to someone who--for the most part--has it together. That way, no one is taken advantage of by a clueless, helpless sparklepony.

It'll be okay, you have lots of time to prepare. Read up! Absorb. Ask detailed questions that show you have tried. It'll work itself out.

Welcome to ePlaya.

*** 2016 Survival Guide ***"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

1: Egg Beaters: Yes. Eggs: No. Had one crack in the cooler... got in w/ the water at the bottom. Not a big deal for packaged foods, but for beers? You don't want to taste rotten egg every time you take a drink.

2: My savior was hummus and pita chips. (I don't eat meat).

3: There are good canned/boxed foods (soups/stews) and bad ones. I quite like Amy's Soup. There was one packaged one we got from Whole Foods which was not worth getting again. Decent tasting but the after effects were not good.

I second Mountain House. They come in big ol' $30 canisters on Amazon. That's about 10 servings, officially, and more like 8 servings realistically. Doesn't require refrigeration, doesn't go bad, packs light, and all you need is a pot of boiling water and you're set with a Real. Hot. Meal. Which actually tastes quite delicious.

Your goal may be a list of menus boken down by day plus snacks. Generally people like salty strong flavored foods and comfort foods. Most people eat a fraction of what they think they will need because they loose their appetite at the event. Make a note of foods you crave when stressed or hungry and consider including. The center camp has coffee and weak lemonade for sale and there are food camps here and there.

We followed some advice from Drawing a Blank on Eplaya (thanks big fella) and had a back up selection of Chef Boyar[fucking]dee caned high carb meals. Edible cold (even tasty in a studenty sort of way), will not spoil and a guarantee of sufficient energy if nothing else.

With that as back up we had a primary of microwave meals (balanced nutrition if you believe the labels) but this was a luxury of having an RV freezer and microwave.

Luxuries were predominantly fridge based and more healthy.

If you can get two coolers it is not impossible with careful mgt to keep stuff frozen even as a tent camper with dry ice and also have a fridge box - try a search on Eplaya for advice!

Stick with the forum and try to embrace the abruptness/ rudeness it is sort of how it rolls here; funny thing is that in the dust the majority of folks will bend over backwards for you and are super nice vs. harsh as they may sound.

*Edit* please bring me good black pudding if you come and are not too squeamish to buy it!!